Camilo Sesto

Camilo Blanes Cortés (16 September 1946 – 8 September 2019) known professionally as Camilo Sesto, was a Spanish singer, songwriter and music producer.

There are various sales figures for him, ranging from 70 to 200 million records sold, and the singer himself claimed to have sold more than 175 million records.

However, his official sales would represent around than 2.8 million copies worldwide, including nearly 900,000 certified.

Sesto sang in two pop bands during the 1960s and won a contest in a Madrid television show.

He played a part in the Spanish filming of Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Later, he teamed up with singer and producer Juan Pardo, but success would come on its own accord, with his own music works.

As a composer, Sesto wrote songs for artists such as Ángela Carrasco, Miguel Bosé, Lucía Méndez, Charytín Goyco and José José, among others.

He also produced and translated to Spanish the lyrics of an album by the popular Australian rock band Air Supply.

Throughout his career, he remained one of the most influential pioneer artists of pop and rock in Spanish, that would inspire many newer acts in the Latin music world as well as across Europe, the Americas and Asia.

The mid-sixties marked the beginning of Sesto's career.

After producing his first record with his band Los Dayson, in 1965 they traveled to Madrid to appear on Televisión Española's Salto a la Fama.

In 1966, Sesto joined another band, Los Botines, whose music was influenced by The Beatles.

In 1967, the band appeared in the film Los chicos del Preu.

At the beginning (1969) he participated in the chorus of the song "O Tren" by Andrés do Barro, produced by Juan Pardo.

In 1970, he recorded various singles including: "Llegará el Verano" and "Sin Dirección", with the artistic name "Camilo Sexto".

He became his own producer, as well as the producer of other artists.

His solo career started in 1970, the same year he won the "Revelación" price, at the "Olés de la Canción" festival.

After meeting producer, Juan Pardo in 1972, he launched a solo career under the stage name Camilo Sesto.

He appeared on Spanish TV's program "Buenas Noches" singing "Algo de Mí" (his first No.1 record).

Algo de Mi reached the Number 1 slot in Spain and most of the Spanish speaking world, and it maintained that top position for a whole year in most of Latin-America.

In 1973, he represented Spain with the song "Algo Más" in the second edition of the OTI Festival, which was held in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte.

In 1974, his success as a pop singer continued with record sales escalating rapidly.

His concerts took him around the world with such songs as "¿Quieres ser mi amante?", "Llueve sobre mojado", "Yo soy así", "Isabel", "Déjame participar en tu juego" and "Mienteme".

"¿Quieres ser mi amante?"

On 6 November 1975, Sesto starred in the role of Jesus on the Spanish version/adaptation by Jaime Azpilicueta of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar at the Alcalá-Palace Theatre in Madrid (Spain).

The production was very costly as he financed it entirely.

His work was a success and received positive reviews.

The public filled the theatre and shows were extended to four months.

Both in terms of interpretation and musically speaking, Sesto's show was considered of great quality.

Andrew Lloyd Webber admitted that this was the only production that could equal the original American version.

After successfully starring in the Spanish version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" catapulted him to superstardom, Sesto continued gaining fame as a singer and composer.

Notable hits from Sesto include "Vivir Así es Morir de Amor", "Jamás", "Perdóname", "Melina" (a song about Melina Mercouri), and "Donde Estes, Con Quien Estes".

received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Recording in 1976.

He has received several platinum certifications.

Sesto went through a retirement in 1987 until he returned to the music scene in 1991.

That year, he released A Voluntad del Cielo (Heaven Willing).

The album's lead single, "Amor Mío, ¿Qué Me Has Hecho?" (My love, what have you done to me?), reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States.

The track was nominated for Pop Song of the Year at the Lo Nuestro Awards of 1992 and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Latin Awards of 1993, respectively.

He survived a liver transplant in August 2001 and released an album, Alma, two years later.

Sesto returned to the stage in 2004 at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.